A wide variety of blanket cleaning systems and apparatus employing the same to clean the cylinders of printing machinery are known. Typical blanket cleaning systems and apparatus employing the same, including cleaning blankets and cleaning solutions, are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,448 to Moestue which discloses a mechanism for cleaning a cylinder that is provided with a cleaning cloth which is wetted with a cleaning fluid or solution prior to its encountering the pressure roller; U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,391 to Futch et al. which shows a composition for ink removal that exhibits a low vapor pressure and which is a low vapor pressure organic compound; U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,182 to Sawaguchi et al. which discloses a cleaning apparatus in which a cleaning cloth is dampened by a liquid; U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,716 to Gerson which shows a wash for removing ink comprising a low volatile organic compound; U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,739 to Loos which discloses a washing device comprising a cleaning cloth dampened with a washing medium; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,128 to Hara which shows a device for cleaning a cylinder of a printing machine comprising a cleaning cloth impregnated with a cleaning liquid.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,567 to Staehr discloses a liquid for cleaning ink from printing machines; U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,342 to Hara shows a method for cleaning the cylinder of a printing machine; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,639 to Krawack discloses a cloth moistened with a low vapor pressure cleaning agent for removing ink; whereas Weltman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,754, disclose a cloth soaked with a cleaning formula, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,194,173 to Folkard et al. discloses a method for removing ink from printing machines. Still further, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,344,361 and 4,757,763 to MacPhee et al. disclose automatic blanket cylinder cleaners provided with cleaner fabrics adapted to contact the blanket cylinders of printing machines. On the other hand, U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,080 to Gasparrini et al. discloses a cloth supply system for the blanket cylinder for use in printing presses.
While the above-mentioned Patents accomplish their purposes to a satisfactory extent, they still exhibit a variety of drawbacks. For example, they usually require apparatus, such as pumps, spray bars, manifold lines, valves and the like as part of the automatic blanket cleaning systems for introducing the cleaning solvents or solutions to the cleaning fabric just prior to actual use. Moreover, even in these cases, where the cleaning rolls or fabric rolls are pre-soaked or pre-wetted, the pre-soaking or pre-wetting must be accomplished just before use in order to minimize loss of cleaning solvent or solution in order to provide an effective blanket cleaning system.
There exists, therefore, a need for providing a pre-packaged, pre-soaked blanket cleaning system which does not exhibit the above-mentioned disadvantages and drawbacks. The present invention fulfills such a need.